A lot of players can catch a hot hand, make a few baskets and score in double figures on any given night.

But to do that consistently, game in and game out, takes special skill set. To overcome poor shooting nights and defenses keyed on stopping you, a go-to player must be able to score different ways, which is what makes Collin Smith such a tough cover.

Determined to run him off the perimeter? He'll burn you on the block, a rare player on the high school level capable of finishing around the basket with either hand.

Set on stopping him down low? That's fine. He'll make you pay three points at a time from the behind the arc.

Collin Smith scored in double figures in all but one game for the Eagles, who were ranked atop the 4A poll for much of the season before reaching the state quarterfinals. (Steve Stoner / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Smith's versatile offensive skill set made him a model of consistency this season, scoring at least 14 points in all but one of his team's 26 games, only two of which ended in losses.

But the Thompson Valley senior forward didn't just fill up the box score. His 19.0 points per game, 6.7 rebounds and interior defense were critical in TVHS' most successful season in recent memory, and for that Smith has been named the RH All-Area boys basketball player of the year.

Smith finished as one of the state's top-10 scorers in 4A, and the 6-foot-5 forward did so all in the flow of the offense. He shot better than 50 percent from the floor, 39 percent from the 3-point line and 81 percent from the free-throw line. So not only was he consistent, he was pretty darn efficient too.

"If it wasn't working on one spot, Collin was staying active and trying to make it work elsewhere. I think he's a really unselfish player. I think there's times where he might've been a little too unselfish, but it worked," TVHS coach Josh Robinson said. "The combination, the groove that he found throughout the season, worked. And it showed in our success for sure."

The team's success, a 24-2 season that ended with an appearance in the Great Eight, is what Smith will remember most about a memorable 2013-14 campaign in which the Eagles went undefeated in the Northern Conference and whose lone regular-season loss came against 5A runner-up Fossil Ridge.

The campaign ended with a double-overtime loss in the state quarterfinals to Cheyenne Mountain, a team THVS beat on the road in the regular season. Heartbreaking for sure, but miles from where the program was four years ago when the Eagles went just 2-21 when Smith, Rohrbouck, Dyer and company were freshmen.

"We all grew up. Together we made something special," said Smith, who after averaging 8.9 points as a sophomore made a huge leap as a junior, scoring 17.9 a game. "I think we made the groundwork for the younger guys to actually keep carrying it on. It's crazy it's over, but it think we left it in the right spot."

Hunter Wylie (Steve Stoner / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Smith's time as an Eagle might be over, but his hoops career will continue at the next level in Spearfish, South Dakota, where he'll suit up next season for Black Hills State, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Robinson expects the TVHS senior to contribute right away as a stretch-4 for the Yellow Jackets, which would be quite the transformation for Smith, who always aimed at playing collegiately but wasn't sure he'd get the chance until only recently.

"I've been wanting to play college basketball since I started playing," Smith said. "My dad's always like, 'just keep working and it'll happen.' I didn't really believe him because last year I had no looks at all.

"It's a dream come true. It's crazy it all happened."

Buxman — The senior guard contributed in a variety of ways for a Cougars team that won 18 games and went 10-0 in league play. Buxman averaged 15.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.4 steals.

Dyer — The senior forward provided necessary size inside for the Eagles, averaging 8.1 points and 5.1 rebounds. He came up big when it mattered most, too, with a pair of double-doubles in TVHS' run to the Great Eight.

Hammel — The junior guard was a bright spot in the down year for the Spartans, leading them in scoring (11.5) while posting double figures in four of their five wins.

Klug — The Lions' senior forward averaged 14.9 points and 9.1 rebounds, leading to nine double-doubles and a seven-win improvement for MVHS from last season.

Orrantia — The sophomore guard's ability to create his own shot was a valuable asset for the Lions, who benefited from his 11.7 points, 3.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game.

Rohrbouck — Along with teammate Estevan Garcia, the senior guard set the tone on the perimeter on both sides of the ball for the Eagles. His on-ball defense was crucial in creating turnovers that fed his team's impressive transition game. His numbers were also pretty good: 13.7 points per game, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 44 percent from the 3-point line, ranking second in all of 4A.

Wylie — The Indians' junior provided much-needed offense for his team by averaging 12.5 points per game thanks to 59 made 3s. Wylie was also a factor on defense with 1.3 steals a game.

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